Tis the season once again! Join us this Thursday at the Kitchi Gammi Club for festive fellowship and fun. Special guests:

The Rotary Singers!

 

By Al Makynen

 

What a fantastic December day (no snow on the ground, sunny and warm) to have Duluth Rotary meet at the Kitchi Gammi Club.  The sandwich buffet with all the trimmings had something for everyone.  The cookies were of particular interest.  What great views of Lake Superior from the Great Hall.  And as President Gary Melander reminds us each week: “How lucky are we!” 

 

Holly Mirau, Barb Perrella, and Tom Young enjoying the festive decorations

 

Past Assistant Governor Phil Strom delivered the Rotary Reflection on the rising tide of anti-Semitic rhetoric in our country and especially on the campuses of our institutions of higher education.  He noted how Holocaust Museums around the world proclaim the message “never again.”  As Rotarians, we have an obligation to resist anti-Semitism through actions and words. 

 

Phil Strom seeking peace and reconciliation

 

Jack Seiler rose to thank club members and others not of the Jewish faith who have come to the defense of his people. The message (and hopefully the effect) is much stronger.

 

 

Paul Helstrom announced that his father, Jon Helstrom, died on Saturday, December 2.  Jon Helstrom, Architect, joined the club in 1984.  A celebration of life is scheduled sometime after the first of the year.

 

Paul Helstrom announced the death of his father Jon Helstrom

 

Next week (December 14) we are again at the Kitchi Gammi Club for our Annual Holiday Party.  Heavy hors d’oeuvres will accompany the ever-popular Rotary Singers (back by popular demand) performing all of your holiday favorites. The singers are led and choreographed by Jay Ott, whose wife will provide the piano accompaniment.  For those who want to join in to sing, a rehearsal is scheduled one half hour before the start of the party.  For the rest of us, do not spend time circling the Holiday Parking ramp only to find out you are in the wrong location!

 

Jay Ott is recruiting Rotary Singers

 

Past Assistant Governor Al Makynen had the pleasure of introducing two new members.  The first was Tim Mowbray, known to many of us in the Club, who has been a Rotarian for 44 years in multiple clubs as his career took him around the country.  Tim is a native Duluthian, who has been married to Sue for 55 years.  He is a Vietnam Veteran and a Major Donor to the Rotary Foundation. This will be his third introduction to our club.  This may be a Club record!  The second and newest, newest member was Allison Hanig-Landrus.  She has lived in the Duluth Chester Creek neighborhood since moving to Duluth in 2006.  She grew up in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and proudly declares herself a diehard Packer’s fan.  She is an Agency Owner for American Family Insurance.

 

 

Tim Mowbray declaring his third time as a new member will be lucky

 

Our newest member, Allison Hanig-Landrus declaring she is ready to engage in Rotary

 

Next up was our very own Captain Anthony Nordan of the Salvation Army.  He, along with his wife, Captain Elysia Nodan, were posted to Duluth in 2023.  Our speaker joined the Salvation Army in 2008 and completed Seminary in 2016.  His presentation was a vocational talk and a discussion of the good works of the Salvation Army in Duluth.  The first project he described was the construction, in association with Red Roof, of 24 units of permanent supportive housing located on Palm Street in proximity to public transportation, job opportunities, and medical care.   The second project was the conversion of the closed Thrift Store in West Duluth into 15 units of transitional housing.  Included within the facility will be an indoor play area for families with children. The third project was the annual Christmas Baskets, which, as Rotarians (and Kiwanians), we are very familiar with as our club has participated with Kiwanis to help fill these baskets as part of our annual food drive.  Again this year the funds raised by Rotary will be matched twice (once by Miners, Inc., and again by their Vendors).  The Salvation Army has acquired the hams for the baskets this year at a cost of $11,000.  We provide everything else for the Salvation Army Christmas Food Baskets. The fourth project is the Red Kettle campaign, which raises approximately $600,000 annually.  Getting bell ringers has been difficult.  Our Club has risen to the challenge and is ringing bells at all the Super One Stores from 11:00 to 1:00 on two Fridays in December (December 8 and 15).  The fifth project was rookie basketball.  This is a hallmark of the Salvation Army in working with children.  The limitation now is the availability of gym space.  The cost to build or rent gym space has limited the number of enrolled children.  The availability of gym space within the ISD709 School District is under negotiation, with the sticking point being limited janitorial staffing.  All of these projects and more are what the Salvation Army does to meet the human needs in our community.

 

Captain Anthony Nordan of the Salvation Army